Vacuum attachment for scissors

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE FOR ADAPTING A PAIR OF TYPICAL BARBER SCISSORS TO A TYPICAL VACUUM FAN HAVING A SUITABLE RESERVOIR FOR COLLECTING THE ACCUMULATION OF CLIPPINGS OF HAIR. THE DEVICE INCLUDES AN ELONGATED TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AT THE ONE END A MOUTHLIKE PORTION ADJACENT AND SECURED TO THE ONE BLADE OF THE SCISSORS WITH THE OTHER END TERMINATING AT A SWIVEL CONNECTOR AND A FLANGE MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE OTHER BLADE WHICH INCREASES AND DECREASES THE SIZE OF THE MOUTH AS THE SCISSORS ARE OPENED AND CLOSED RESPECTIVELY.

VAGUUI ATTACHMENT FOR scIssoRs 6 F1106 Feb. 5, 1970 59 mvzzmons sum r.masks amass e JOHNSON United States Patent 3,606,681 VACUUM ATTACHMENTFOR SCISSORS Elmer T. Rogers, Rte. 1, Wildersville, Tenn. 38388, and

Charles E. Johnson, Rte. 2, Lexington, Tenn. 38351 Filed Feb. 5, 1970,Ser. No. 8,886 Int. Cl. B26b 13/22 US. Cl. 30-133 4 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the inventionThis invention is in the field of cutlery and pertains to cutting toolshaving plural cooperating blades better known as shears.

(2) Description of the prior art The broad concept of having a vacuumsource attached to barber scissors or the like was apparently used bythe La Mere Pat. No. 2,292,453, however, this patent is directed towarda vacuum clipper and while FIGS. 11, 12, 13 show a pair of ordinary handscissors with a suction device associated therewith, there is nodisclosure in the specification that teaches the practice of theinvention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The device of the present invention is directedtowards providing a barber or the like a means to improve theprofessionalism of his art, i.e., cutting of hair. It is anticipatedthat this device will be used in conjunction with a typical vacuumattachment for an electric hair clipper, e.g., like that shown inIording et al. Pat. No. 3,384,919. In practicing the art of barbering,particularly when cutting the hair on a male head, most barbers preferstarting with clippers, developing the general contour that they desirethe head of hairto have, then accomplish the finishing touches with apair of scissors. While it is common practice to drape a shroud over theshoulders of the customer and secure it tightly around his neck, it iswell known that objectionable hair clippings still get down the neckand/or on the clothing of the customer. Several years ago a practicalvacuum attachment for an electric clipper was developed which partiallyobviates this problem i.e., when using the clippers, and as a result,many barbers have adopted its use. Some barbers who use vacuum clippersattempt to obviate the problems completely by trimming with the vacuumclippers alone because to use the ordinary scissors to properly finishthe trimming would possibly defeat the purpose of the vacuum clippers,i.e., get hair down the neck of the customer. The end result is aninferior haircut, however.

This invention is directed towards overcoming this problem by utilizinga vacuum source, egf, a typical home vacuum cleaner or the like to pickup the hair clippings from the scissor blades and carry them throughsuitable tubing to the reservoir such as a fibrous bag which collectsthe accumulation of cut hair. Scissors adapted with the presentinvention may be effectively used for cutting long strands or bushy hairwith the scissor blades widespread 3,606,681 Patented Sept. 21, 1971"ice or are equally effective when snipping one hair with the ends ofthe scissor blades.

The device of present invention includes two cooperative members, eachof which is attached to one of the two cooperative blades of a typicalpair of barber scissors. A typical pair of barber scissors comprises astationary blade and a thumb actuated movable blade. The stationaryblade is fitted with an elongated tubular member having the one endadapted to a flexible conduit which is in communication with the vacuumsource. The other end of the tubular member has an elongated mouthopening coextended in length with the stationary blade. The longitudinalaxis of the tubular member is slightly inclined away from thelongitudinal axis of the scissors in a direction toward the palm of theusers hand, so that the tubular member fits between the users palm andthe scissor handles when the scissors are held in a conventional manner.The movable blade is fitted with an elongated flange which partiallycloses 01f the mouth as the scissors are closed. This closing action isgradual and proportionally increases the effect of the vacuum adjacentthe points of the blades as the scissor blades are brought together.This feature greatly increases the vacuum effect when it IS needed most,for snipping short hair as the barber does when finishing off thehaircut, or for snipping eyebrows.

Thus, with the use of the present invention, a barber may enhance theprofessionalism of his art which makes for a more satisfied customer anda higher income assuming the old adage A satisfied customer is the bestform of advertisement is valid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of thedevice installed on a pair of barber scissors in a closed position,i.e., one blade overlapping the other.

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of the device and the movable blade isphantomized in a displaced open position.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as on the line IIIIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken as on the line IV-IV of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as on the line V-V of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken as on the line VI-VI of FIG. 3. i

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A typical pair of barberscissors 11 with which the vacuum attachment 13 of the present inventionis adapted to be incorporated is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thescissors 11 include the usual adjustable stop screw 15, annular lock nut17, the stop boss 19, the two handles 21, 23 and the two removableblades 25, 27 which are secured to the respective handles by two pair ofscrews 29, 31 with the handles being pivotally secured one with theother by the screw 33 threaded into the elastic stop nut 35. It shouldbe understood that the vacuum attachment 13 may be secured to anytypical scissors 11 in a suitable manner, i.e., tapped holes and screws,crimping or the like and/or fusing such as by silver soldering or thelike. In accomplishing the following disclosure, a suitable attachment,as by using the screws 31 to secure one member and crimping for securingthe other member is to be construed as an illustration only.

The vacuum attachment 13 includes an elongated tubular member 37, formedfrom stainless steel or the like, having at the one end a swivelconnector 39 for adapting the device through flexible conduit 40 to asuitable vacuum source (not shown), such as standard home vacuum cleaneror the like and having at the other end an elongated mouth 41coextensive in length with the blades 25, 27. When operating a pair ofbarber scissors, the preferred procedure is to place the index fingerthrough the ring 43 of the handle 21, engage the first joint of the ringfinger with the arcuate extension of the handle 21 and to place thethumb through the ring 47 of the handle 23.

The scissors 11 are actuated by movement of the thumb, accordingly, thehandle 21 and blade 25 remain substantially stationary and the handle 23and the blade 27 accomplish the required movement. The tubular member 37is attached to the stationary handle 21 adjacent the pivot screw 33 byan overlapping crimped portion 49, or the like, on the one side (FIG. 1)and an identical portion (not shown) on the other. The longitudinal axisthereof is inclined slightly upward from the plane of the scissors 11 ina direction towards the users palm, in such a manner that the rearwardportion of tubular member 37 is closely spaced relative to said handles21, 23 and may be comfortably and unobstructively positioned between theusers palm and 'fingers as the scissors 11 are operated.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 5, 6, it can readily be seen that a greaterportion of the circumference of the tubular member 37 coextending withthe blade 25 (i.e. the forward part of tubular member 37) is cut awayand that an upper wall 51 and two side walls 53, 55 taper to a pointconverging adjacent the point of the blades 25, 27 of the scissors 11.The lower edge of the wall 53 integrally overlaps and engages the entirelength of the back side of the blade 25, forming a substantial airtightjoint. The lower edge 54 of the wall 55 has an arcuate shape, as bestviewed in FIG. 1, extending along the cutting edge of the blade 25. Inother words, the blade 25 closes oil? the greater portion of that partof the tubular member 37 which was cut away, thus forming the elongatedmouth 41 which in operation is constantly drawing in a current of air asthis is the only opening in communication with the vacuum source (notshown).

The vacuum attachment 13 also includes an elongated zflange member 57,formed from stainless steel or the like, best viewed in FIGS. 1, 2. Thelength of the flange member 57 is considerably less than that of theblades 25, 27 and its cross section substantially forms a right angle,as best viewed in FIG. 3 where a horizontal portion '59 is showncontiguously engaging the blade 27. The uppermost edge 60 of asubstantial vertical portion 61 of the flange member 57, being curved toconform to the lower edge of the sidewall 55 of the tubular member 37,contiguously engages the lower edge of the sidewall 55 of the tubularmember 37 substantially forming an airtight seal when the scissors 11are in a closed position. The proximal end of the flange member 57,having suitable apertures for receiving the screws 31, 31, 33 andchamfered to conform to the shape of the corresponding end of the blade27, is sandwiched between the handle 23 and the blade 27 and isremovably secured to the handle 23 simultaneously with the blade 27 bythe screws 31, 31, as best viewed in FIG. 4. The distal end of thehorizontal portion 59 of the member 57 is tapered off with a slowsweeping curve terminating substantially at the vertex of the member 57.

The scissors 11 and the vacuum attachment 13 are shown in solid lines inFIG. 2 in the closed position by the handle and blade being designated23, 27 and in the open position by the phantomized handle and bladebeing designated 23. FIG. 2 also depicts the operating relationshipbetween the two members 37, 57 of the vacuum attachment 13 wherein themember 57 is stationary with respect to the blade 27 and the member 37is stationary with respect to the blade 25. The vertical portion 61(FIG. 3) of the number 57 extends adjacent the back side of the blade 27and the outer surface is substantially flush with the outer surface ofthe tubular member 37 when the scissors 11 are in the closed position.

When the scissors 11 having the vacuum attachment 13 incorporatedtherewith are in a closed position, the proximal end of the elongatedmouth 41 is closed by the vertical portion '61 of the flange member 57contiguously engaging the corresponding portion of the member 37,however, the distal end of elongated mouth 41 remains unobstructed. Inthe open position, the vertical portion '61 of the member 57, beingdisplaced as shown in FIG. 2 by the numeral 57', effectively increasesthe size of the opening of the mouth 41. As the scissors 11 are closed,the size of the mouth gradually decreases, thus increasing the vacuumeffect as the scissors blades 25, 27 are brought together.

In operation, the swivel connection 39 of the vacuum attachment 13 isconnected to a flexible conduit which is in communication with a vacuumsource. The barber grips the scissors 11 in the conventional manner aspreviously described, and the swivel 39 permits the scissors and theattachment 13 to be rotated Without tangling the flexible conduit. Whenthe barber is actuating the scissors 11 with his thumb, he may lookbetween the blades in the same manner that he does with a conventionalpair of scissors 11. In other Words, this device does not interfere withthe skill of the barber and using it does not require any training orchanges in the technique of the barber. The barber merely clips the hairin the same manner as he did with a conventional pair of scissors 11;however, the hair clippings will not fall to the shoulders or down theneck of the customer.

A current of air is constantly rushing into the mouth 41 which picks upthe hairs and carries them through the interconnected conduit anddeposits them in the receptacle (not shown). As the blades 25, 27 arebrought together from an open position, the vertical portion 61 of theflange member 57 gradually closes off a portion of the mouth 41 andincreases the effectiveness of the vacuum adjacent the points of theblades 25, 27. This feature greatly increases the vacuum effect when itis needed most, e.g., a barber uses scissors mostly for snipping shorthairs and would not open the scissors wide for this purpose. Also, itwill be noted that the scissors 11 having the vaccum attachment 13thereon are particularly effective when cutting real short hairs (asopposed to average length short hairs) with the portion of the scissorsadjacent the tips thereof since the tubular member 37 is tapered at arelatively flat angle to a point so that there is no interference withthe barbers work, and the elongated mouth 41 is narrow andcorrespondingly tapered at a relatively small angle so that the vacuumis very effective in picking up the short hairs in this area. Also, thetaper of the mouth 41 generally corresponds to the length of the shorthairs being cut. Thus, real short hairs can be cut near the very tip ofthe scissors, in the area 41' of mouth 41 (see FIG. 6) where the mouthis very narrow as compared with the remainder thereof. When the barberwishes to open the scissors wide for cutting longer or more bushy hair,the possibility of hair falling down the neck or onto the shoulders ofthe customer is extremely remote because the variable vacuum effect issufficient for this purpose likewise. A barber accustomed to usingvacuum clippers need no longer be hesitant about using scissors when thevacuum attachment 13 is incorporated therewith. Thus, the vacuumattachment 13 for scissors 11 of the present invention enhances theprofessionalism of the art of barbering.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respectto a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is notto be so limited since changes and modifications may be made thereinwhich are within the full intended scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. A vacuum attachment for a pair of scissors including a first handlehaving a first blade attached thereto, a second handle having a secondblade attached thereto, and pivot means coupling said handles formovement of said blades between open and closed positions; said vacuumattachment comprising a tubular member attached to said first handleadjacent the forward end of said first handle, the forward portion ofsaid tubular member extending along the length of said first blade andbeing tapered to a point at the tip end of said first blade, saidtubular member having a side wall terminating in a lower edge disposedin spaced relationship to said first blade and converging forwardly anddownwardly to the tip of said first blade to provide a mouth having atapered mouth portion adjacent the tip of said first blade, and flexibleconduit means coupled to said tubular member for communicating saidtubular member with a vacuum source to draw air and cut hairs into saidattachment through said mouth of said attachment.

2. The vacuum attachment of claim 1 in which said tubular member isdisposed at a slight angle relative to said first handle with therearward portion of said tubular member being closely spaced relative tosaid first handle for positioning between the users palm and fingersduring the use of said scissors.

3. The vacuum attachment of claim 1 in which is included an elongatedflange attached to said second blade and extending along a rearwardportion of the length of said blade, said flange having an upper edgecontiguous with a rearward portion of said lower edge of said side Wallof said tubular member and said flange blocking a substantial portion ofsaid mouth rearwardly of said tapered portion of said mouth when saidscissors are in a closed disposition.

4. The vacuum attachment of claim 3 in which the contingous portions ofsaid lower edge of said side wall and said upper edge of said flange aredisposed in an upwardly extending arc with the highest portion of saidare being intermediate the forward and rearward ends of said flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,292,453 8/1942 La Mere l31X2,523,201 9/1950 Ellis 30--133X 3,505,732 4/1970 Trapani 30--133 ROBERTC. RIORDON, Primary Examiner J. C. PETERS, Assistant Examiner

